There are many different ways to learn about economics, and one of the easiest and most fun ways is to read the news.

Although not every news story is necessarily about economics, the fact that economics influences so much of our daily lives means that often you can improve your understanding of financial economics, banking, or global economics just by reading daily news stories and keeping up to date with the latest political developments.

With that in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of where you can find quality online economics news that will help give you a broader outlook on this fascinating subject.

Many UK economic news outlets have their own social media presence. (Source: CC BY 2.0, Blogtrepreneur, via Flickr)

Keep Up To Date with Reuters and the FT

If you ask an economics or business undergraduate, or anyone working in finance, what publications are good to follow if you want to improve your knowledge of economics and the global market, and become familiar with the current economic trend of the day, then many of them would suggest that you follow Reuters as well as the Financial Times.

The reasoning behind this is simple. Reuters is an international news agency that reports on many areas, from business and markets news to politics, technology, and personal finance.

With journalists located across the globe, Reuters provides regular news updates from around the world and covers issues ranging from inflation and deflation to unemployment, household debt and general borrowing.

It’s really easy to keep up to date with the latest news on Reuters as well, as they have a presence on all the major social media platforms, including:

Twitter;

Facebook; and

LinkedIn

What’s more, there’s also Reuters TV as well as a Reuters Live Blog, so whether you prefer to have your news delivered via tweet, TV, or through an online article, there’s a format to suit you.

What’s more, the Financial Times almost needs no introduction as an online publication. With a focus on business and economic news, the publication has become the go-to for anyone working or interested in finance and economics. With content that focuses on domestic as well as international news, it’s also a great one-stop-shop if you want to learn more about economics on a global level.

Equally, if you plan on working within finance and are currently studying economics or business at school or university, then you’d also do well to catch up with the daily news on Bloomberg. Although Bloomberg News is a U.S. based news agency, it provides news stories from all regions of the globe, including Europe, so there are plenty of relevant and engaging articles to catch up on.

Follow UK Economic News with the BBC

If you’re looking for news that is more local in focus, then you could do far worse than the BBC. The BBC covers a wide range of news, from business and banks to technology, entertainment and world news.

Although it doesn’t claim to have a particular emphasis on economic news, there is solid coverage of UK business news, and it is a great resource to use when looking for an insight into economic trends.

An equally good source for the latest information on UK business and finance is the Guardian’s website. If you’re looking for the latest information on the UK economy, as well as a place to read up on the daily headlines, then the Guardian has a wide range of articles for you to read, with new articles added regularly.

So whether you would like to read more about stocks, wage volatility, government spending, currency markets, global wealth, or even the Chinese economy, you’ll likely be able to find an article that will help you.

What’s more, you can follow both the BBC and the Guardian on social media, as they both have an established social media presence. That means that you can stay up to date with the news even as you’re on the go, and as a result, you eliminate any uncertainty that you’re missing out on the latest news updates.

Ideally, it’s best to read a wide variety of newspapers and their columnists, for example:

The BBC;

The Guardian;

The Independent; and

The Times

By reading widely, not only will you find out about the different perspectives that the papers have, but you’ll also develop a wider understanding of the topic you’re reading about, whether that’s fiscal policy or the global economy.

Check Out the Powerhouses That are the Economist and Forbes

Of course, no list of the best economic publications would be complete without mention of the Economist and Forbes.

The Economist is famed for its engaging content and unique articles. The magazine itself is a weekly publication and you can receive issues physically or digitally, so it’s a great read whether you’re at home or on the train.

You can also just go to their website and, provided you have a subscription, read the latest articles on there. As its name suggests, there is a strong focus on the global economy and international finance, however, other news areas are covered as well, such as science and technology.

Forbes is equally grand in stature when it comes to the major global finance publications. With a focus on business, investment, leadership, and entrepreneurship, there’s no shortage of articles about the leaders of business today and the happenings within the global economy.

What’s more, articles cover all major and emerging areas of the globe, from Asia to the Eurozone, so it’s a great place to find all the information you need about global financial markets as well as the stock markets and interest rates.

As a unique touch, their website also offers a quote of the day, which could be great source material if you’re looking to use a quote for an upcoming exam.

Find The Online Publications That Best Suit You

You can choose to read any number of the above online publications, or equally you may prefer to read none of them. The key is to find a publication that:

is written in a style that appeals to you;

provides regular, informative content; and

has some form of focus on economic issues, whether that’s international trade or global finance

You’ll find that, once you’ve found a news outlet that works for you, you’ll be more motivated to read that publication’s articles regularly. This will, in turn, give you more knowledge about past and current issues, such as:

changes in interest rates;

the 2008 recession and the global financial crisis; and

the rate of GDP growth and economic growth or decline globally

Knowing about such issues will help your performance in class and help give you a successful outcome in your economics studies.

What’s more, you can use certain online publications as great reference sources for an upcoming exam or essay. For example, the UK government has its own statistics website, which you can search if you want to cite any statistics that will help support an argument you’re making in a piece of homework.

There are also online publications such as the OECD Observer that can help build your understanding of global economic issues. Although it’s unlikely you’ll be able to find an article that can be easily referenced in your essay, the OECD Observer has articles that cover a wide range of topics, including:

the economy;

governance;

taxation; and

trade and investment

This means that the publication is full of useful resources that can provide a solid overview of the issues, both economic and otherwise, that are impacting the world today.

You often see economics in the news. (Source: CC0 1.0, geralt, Pixabay)

Summary

Although reading an online economics publication is a great way to improve your understanding of economics and current affairs, the best way of getting into the habit of reading such news articles daily is to find a newspaper or news outlet that appeals to you.

If you find the Financial Times too formal, then it may be that you’ll have better luck reading articles from the Economist. It’s all about experimenting and reading different stories to see what works and helps you learn more about different economies and how they are performing on the world economic stage.

Although extra-curricular reading can be a great way to supplement any economics A-level or university course, there are other ways to improve your grades.

For example, hiring a tutor to help you in your upcoming exams is a great way to improve your grades, focus your learning on areas that you struggle with, whether that is macroeconomics, microeconomics, or the world economy. Additionally, tutors can help improve your exam technique.

What’s more, tutoring, in combination with reading widely on the subject of economics, will stand you in great stead for upcoming exams. Sites such as Superprof have more than one qualified economics tutor near me that would be happy to boost your confidence in economics and help you prepare for exam success.

Share

Lucy

Lucy is a freelance writer and wine enthusiast, who loves travelling and exploring new places.